Clem Hill's Reminiscences

HAYWARD, Tom Prolific Surrey opening batsman who nurtured the young Jack Hobbs and became the first professional to score 100 centuries in first-class cricket. An England regular from 1896 to 1909 he made 1999 runs at 34.46 in 35 Tests. HEARNE, J.T. (‘Jack’) Middlesex medium-pacer who gained pace from the pitch, took 3,061 wickets in a first-class career which spanned 35 years, and a hat-trick (Clem Hill, Syd Gregory, Monty Noble) at Headingley in 1899. At his peak, in the late 1890s, he captured 49 wickets at 22.08 from 12 Test appearances. HEARNE, J.W. (‘Young Jack’) Prolific batsman and leg-break bowler with Middlesex, but only a moderate performer for England. In 24 Tests between 1911 and 1926 he scored 806 runs at 26.00 and took 30 wickets at 48.73. HIRST, George Yorkshire all-rounder (right-hand batsman, left-arm fast-medium in-swing bowler), the only player to make 2,000 runs and take 200 wickets in an English season (1906), but whose 24 match Test career (790 runs at 22.57 and 59 wickets at 30.00) was modest for a player of his gifts. HITCH, Bill Surrey fast bowler whose best years were lost to the First World War. He took seven wickets at 46.42 in seven Test matches between 1911 and 1921. HOBBS, Jack England’s greatest opening batsman of the twentieth century, and holder of a record 199 centuries in first-class cricket. Enjoyed productive opening partnerships for Surrey with Tom Hayward and Andrew Sandham, and for England with Wilfred Rhodes and Herbert Sutcliffe. In 61 Test matches scored 5,410 runs at 56.94 with 15 centuries. HORNBY, A.N. (‘Monkey’) Feisty Lancashire captain and batsman who led England in the original ‘Ashes’ Test of 1882, but failed dismally with the bat in his three Test appearances. Also captained England at rugby. HUMPHREYS, Walter Middle-order bat and slow under-arm bowler for Sussex between 1871 and 1896. JACKSON, Stanley Leading Cambridge University and Yorkshire all-rounder, who represented his country from 1893 to 1905, and was at the peak of his powers in the latter year when he led both the England batting (70.28) and bowling averages (15.46) and captained his side to victory in the rubber. In 20 Tests he scored 1415 runs at 48.79 with 5 centuries and took 24 wickets at 33.29. Later an eminent politician. JESSOP, Gilbert Explosive Gloucestershire hitter, fast bowler and aggressive cover field who epitomised Edwardian dash. The fastest scorer in cricket history, his sole Test century (104 in 75 minutes) at The Oval in 1902 enabled an England win, but his overall batting average of 21.88 from 18 Tests was disappointing. JONES, Arthur Brilliant Nottinghamshire opening batsman who under-achieved at Test level (12 matches, batting average 13.85). As captain of the English team which toured Australia in 1907-08, he took no part in the Test series due to serious illness. KINNEIR, Septimus Left-hand Warwickshire batsman whose sole Test match, at Sydney in 1911, brought modest success with 52 runs in two innings. KNIGHT, Albert Solid Leicestershire batsman whose only Test matches were played on Pelham Warner’s tour of Australia in 1903-04. He made 81 in three Tests at an average of 16.20, but had the temerity to write a book called The Complete Cricketer . KNUTTON, Herbert Warwickshire fast bowler with a suspect action who captured figures of 9-100 against the 1902 Australians, but whose first-class career consisted of only one other first-class match, in 1894. KORTRIGHT, Charles Amateur Essex fast bowler, often regarded as the quickest of his era between 1893 and 1907. LARWOOD, Harold Nottinghamshire express bowler who was the key instrument of Douglas Jardine’s Bodyline attack against Australia in 1932-33, when he captured 33 wickets at 19.51. Not chosen by England after this tour, his 21 Tests yielded 78 wickets at 28.35. After the Second World War he migrated to Australia. LEVESON GOWER, H.D.G. (‘Shrimp’) Captain of Oxford University, Surrey and England, Leveson Gower had a long playing Notes on Players and Umpires 98